U.S. Masters Swimming announced San Antonio, Texas as the host of the 2020 USMS Spring National Championship. The meet, which will coincide with the organization’s 50th anniversary, will run from April 23rd-26th, and return to the state where it all began.
As the story is told by USMS, the first ever National Masters Swimming Championships was held in Amarillo, Texas from May 2nd-3rd, 1970. Captain Ransom J. Arthur, then a doctor in the Navy, persuaded John Spannuth, the president of the Coaches Association, to host the meet, believing it would improve physical fitness in adults. The first edition drew 46 swimmers, and a year later, returned to Amarillo where that number more-than-doubled.
Now, the organization budgets for more than 2000 attendees each year from ages 18 to 100.
This will be the 3rd time that a USMS National Championship will be hosted in San Antonio, and the 10th time in Texas. The meet will be hosted at the Northside ISD Swim Center for the 2nd time in the last 5 years. The last time it hosted, there were 57 USMS National Records broken. The $14 million outdoor facility has covered seating for 2,400 spectators, 1,200 atheletes, and 400 coaches, in addition to a $15 million indoor, 1000-seat, 50-meter indoor facility next door. Because of the number of athletes competing and the number of races required, multiple pools are usually used for USMS championships.
“We couldn’t be more excited to have this historic meet in San Antonio,” says Dawson Hughes, CEO of USMS. “The city has been a wonderful host in the past, and the attractions make San Antonio an excellent place for the Masters Swimming community to spend a long weekend while celebrating this milestone in our history.”
The 2019 Spring meet will be held at the Kino Aquatics Center in Mesa, Arizona, while the summer long course event will be held at the newly-reopened Marguerite Aquatics Center in Mission Viejo, California. SwimRVA will host the 2020 long course summer championship in Richmond.
Upcoming USMS national/international championships.
2020 USMS & International Championships
2020 U.S. Masters Swimming Spring National Championship
Location and dates to be announced fall 2018.
Short Course Yards
2020 U.S. Masters Swimming Summer National Championship
SwimRVA, Richmond, Virginia
August 13-16, 2020
Long Course Meters
2019 USMS & International Championships
2019 U.S. Masters Swimming Spring National Championship
Kino Aquatics Center, Mesa, Arizona
April 25-28, 2019
Short Course Yards
2019 U.S. Masters Swimming Summer National Championship
Marguerite Aquatics Center, Mission Viejo, California
August 7-11, 2019
Long Course Meters
XVIII FINA World Masters Championships
Gwandgju, South Korea
August 5-16, 2019
Long Course Meters and Open Water
Can’t wait!! Great friends, great pool and great Mexican food leads to great swims!! Hope to see you there!